Fiske Interactive Online allows students and parents to search online through profiles and photos of the 316 best and most interesting colleges and universities in the U.S., Can

This guidebook makes an excellent effort to give students good, relative info for school-to-school comparisons. —Newsday

Published since 1982 and annually since 2002, the Fiske guide provides readable profiles of more than 300 of the country’s "best and most interesting" four-year colleges for students and their parents. Fiske was education editor of The New York Times for 17 years. The guide is notable as much for its focus on each school’s personality and quality of life as for its statistical data and admissions information. Profiles are updated from the 2009 edition with new student quotes and any changes at the colleges. Quinnipiac University and UNC-Wilmington were added, while Montana Tech and UNC-Greensboro were dropped. The 2010 book also includes an updated list of 44 colleges and universities that qualify as "best buys," based on academic quality relative to cost. Additions to that list: Colorado State University, University of New Mexico, SUNY-University at Buffalo, Truman State University, University of Utah, Alfred University, Cornell College, University of Dallas, Marquette University, Millsaps College and University of the Pacific.

QUOTE: "Fortunately, there are some bargains to be found in higher education; it just takes a bit of shopping around with a little guidance along the way." —AP column Financial Bookshelf I’m a fan of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Each profiled school is described by a well-crafted 1,000 to 2,500 word essay that draws on information from students, administrators, and independent research. The book is pleasingly readable with concise side boxes containing numerical data on SAT scores, retention rates, acceptance rates, and so on.

Don’t expect a ton of objective data in the Fiske Guide to Colleges. The lover of numbers would do better with the U.S. News and World Report Ultimate College Guide or Peterson’s Four-Year Colleges. That said, numbers rarely tell the story of a school effectively. The essays in the Fiske Guide employ both subjective and objective information to capture the real "feel" of a school. Since picking the perfect college is more about a personality match than anything numerical, Fiske’s efforts to capture the personalities of the schools should be applauded.

The book does have a few shortcomings. With around 300 colleges profiled, a couple thousand 4-year schools get no coverage. The Fiske selections reveal a bias towards east and west coast colleges. For students set on certain states, the book has limited use. For example, West Virginia, Montana, Nebraska, Kansas and Idaho each have just a single entry. Compare that to the long list for Massachusetts.

A final minor point — the reliance on student surveys can introduce a few errors. As an example, a quote from the Hobart and William Smith entry states that "freshmen are always taught by full professors." They aren’t. I assume the student meant to say that freshmen are taught by full-time faculty members rather than adjuncts or grad students. I’m pretty sure assistant and associate professors teach freshmen, not just full professors. But this is just nitpicking.

For most prospective college students, the Fiske Guide will be $20 well spent.—About.com

Edward Fiske has published his guide to colleges across the United States, and even in parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, for over twenty years. Working as an education editor for the New York Times undoubtedly gave Fiske incredible insider exposure to colleges, their administrators, their academic programs, and most importantly, their admissions procedures.

Over three-hundred universities and colleges are outlined in the 800 page guide. Fiske rates each institution based on their academics, quality of life, programs, admissions requirements, and much more.

Each school’s description also includes a list of the institution’s most popular programs. Readers can easily find any college or university’s specific SAT and/or ACT score requirements in addition to other useful information like tuition costs and percentages of financial aid awarded.

Fiske breaks down information and creates easy-to-use lists for prospective college students, their parents, and even high school counselors. One of these lists includes the schools Fiske believes to offer the most bang for your buck. In other words, affordable schools with great reputations!

Any prospective college student should certainly purchase a copy of this book. Fiske’s Guide to College 2008 will become your virtual bible as you begin and progress through the difficult and often overwhelming college admissions process. —Helium.com